Two Questions...In the great hits of Country Music, how many are songs of lament? And in Christian book stores, how many books of lament do you find? Did you snicker at the first question and think, "A Whole Lot?" Were you silent at the second question and think, "Not Many"? Why?
Today, it's common to hide, push emotions down and be "Fine"...Yet in Bible days, people ripped their clothes and covered themselves in ashes to show hurt, lament and grief. In fact, one entire book of scripture is called Lamentations and much of the Psalms are laments.
Maybe we need to recapture God's invitation to gut-level honest expressions of lament. These raw prayers are never ignored, silenced or wasted. They often lead to greater intimacy with God and others. Maybe in declaring ourselves "more than conquerors" we skip over the healthy power of lament in the healing process. If we move too quickly we may miss what God is doing. In creating space for God we allow God to expand our heart and discern His work enfolding our wounds into His greater story.
Loss. Betrayal. Disappointment. Abuse. Brokenness. Frustration.
What is the deep wound you are nursing? Have you poured out your heart or given God only part of the pain? Have you missed the depth of His love? In the end we only have the option of coming closer to God or moving away....coming closer to others or moving away.
"The Lord is near the brokenhearted and saves those crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:8).
No comments:
Post a Comment